Shiga Kogen

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About Shiga Kogen

Shiga Kogen is a volcanic plateau in Joshinetsu Kogen National Park, between about 1,300 and 2,300 meters in elevation, above Yamanouchi. It brings together several ski areas connected by slopes and lifts, forming one of the largest ski zones in Japan, with dozens of runs and a single pass. At the 1998 Winter Olympics it hosted alpine skiing and snowboard events.

The altitude provides dry snow and a long season, which typically runs from December to April. Areas range from gentle slopes suitable for beginners to steep high runs, such as those on Yakebitaiyama and Okushiga. Hotels are spread across the bases, linked by loop buses in the season. During the snow season, the village of Okushiga, at the northern end, often has the quietest slopes and the deepest snow.

Outside winter, the plateau changes use. It is a UNESCO biosphere reserve and has dozens of high-altitude lakes and marshes, with boardwalk trails around lakes such as Ichinuma, Kidoike and Biwa-ike. Some stations run gondolas in summer and autumn to take hikers to viewpoints. In October the slopes usually change color.

The road that climbs from the valley and crosses the plateau toward Kusatsu is one of the highest in Japan and closes in winter. Weather changes quickly at altitude, even in summer. On the Kusatsu side, the Shibutoge gorge reaches about 2,170 meters, and the volcanic area near Mount Shirane may have access restrictions depending on alert levels.